Questions about Literature

by zPrevious Student, on April 15th, 2012

Q8. How important is the study of literature in individual/ethical development? In What Ways?

When I first came across this question, the word “fairytale” popped into my head. It is a usual thing to associate fairytales with individual/ethical development because we are often told how some fairytales demonstrate some of the morals of life. Yet, whether these morals are reasonable is another story. For instance, while Pinocchio can teach us to be honest, Snow White can teach female to be obedience to male.

Other types of literature, such as fables, folktales, can also contribute to our individual/ethical development. For example, The Ass in the Lion Skin, from Aesop’s fable, can teach us “Clothes may disguise a fool, but his words will give him away”, or it can teaches us to be smart about disguising. Moreover, Journey to the West can teach us to be brave and courageous, or it can teach us that female is detrimental to ones success.

I think it is difficult to judge if literature has a positive or negative influence. But you can learn what the society expects of you, even if you don’t necessarily agree, since literature can reflect the explicit and implicit values in the society. In addition, understanding these values can us to develop ourselves in a way that fits in the society. Thus, I think literature can be important in individual/ethical development.

Bertrand Russell on Skepticism

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But if philosophy is to serve a positive purpose, it must not teach mere skepticism, for, while the dogmatist is harmful, the skeptic is useless. Dogmatism and skepticism are both, in a sense, absolute philosophies; one is certain of knowing, the other of not knowing. What philosophy should dissipate is certainty, whether of knowledge or of ignorance. Knowledge is not so precise a concept as is commonly thought. Instead of saying "I know this," we ought to say "I more or less know something more or less like this."

Your Daily Chinese Character

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Is TOK a Philosophy Course?

YES, in the sense that the name of the course itself is in any dictionary effectively synonymous with "epistemology."

NO, in the sense that IB-specific ToK has many philosophical elements, but is not just philosophy. ToK is at root an interdiscipinary course that allows students to become aware of how the six subject-groups on the corners on the Diploma hexagon overlap and integrate. The interdisciplinary aspect is the crucial thing . . . .